Government has started implementing measures to ensure
healing among victims of civil disturbances that rocked the Midlands and
south-western provinces during the early years of Independence, in an operation
infamously referred to as Gukurahundi.
Among key interventions, that are in line with President
Mnangagwa’s pledge during a meeting with civil society under the banner of
Matabeleland Collective a fortnight ago, Government will issue birth and death
certificates to those affected.
Government will also facilitate the exhumation and reburial
of victims of Gukurahundi while medical assistance will be availed for those
injured during the time while other restorative justice measures will be rolled
out, making good of President Mnangagwa’s promise that his administration would
not shy from confronting the ugly past.
This comes as the National Peace and Reconciliation
Commission (NPRC) takes the country through 21 days of sharing mechanisms on
healing and reconciliation, starting this Sunday.
Yesterday, Secretary for Justice, Legal and Parliamentary
Affairs Mrs Virginia Mabiza met the Matabeleland Collective in Bulawayo and
announced the implementation of a matrix of issues discussed during the earlier
meeting.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage will
facilitate the issuance of birth certificates and death certificates for
victims affected by Gukurahundi. It will also facilitate the exhumation and
reburial of Gukurahundi victims.
“We’re also implementing protection mechanisms for those affected
by Gukurahundi to be free to discuss their experiences,” said Mrs Mabiza.
She said Health and Child Care and Public Service, Labour
and Social Welfare ministries would provide medical assistance to victims of
Gukurahundi.
“Some people are still suffering from various pains
inflicted on them during the disturbances. The Government will therefore,
facilitate that these people receive medical assistance,” said Mrs Mabiza.
Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement
would also prioritise the completion of the Matabeleland Zambezi Water project,
which is expected to unlock economic value to communities.
“The ministry and certain players that have been identified
to look into the completion of the project are expected to give monthly updates
on progress made until we can give timelines on the completion.
“Another critical issue to be looked into is devolution,
where we expect Government processes to be devolved by prioritising of local
businesses in the awarding of tenders and giving locals first preference when
filling positions,” said Mrs Mabiza.
Mrs Mabiza said her ministry would work with the Ministry
of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to harmonise laws
governing local authorities to ensure efficiency and ease in the implementation
of devolution.
“The harmonisation of laws is expected to be finalised in
six months. We will work with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small
and Medium Enterprises to ensure that there’s inclusivity of women in
Parliament, Cabinet and governance structures.”
She said her ministry had resolved to extend the lifespan
of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) for continuous
dialogue.
Mrs Mabiza added that the Home Affairs Ministry had been
tasked to investigate and report causes of police inaction and perceived
insubordination during the 14 to 16 July protests.
Matabeleland Collective convener Pastor Trevor Masuku
commended the OPC for responding to concerns raised by the civic society.
“We are grateful that President Mnangagwa responded to the
invitation for dialogue extended to him by the Matabeleland Collective and a
meeting was successfully held last month. On this historic day, more than 70
organisations represented by over 100 civic and religious leaders had a two
hour frank dialogue with the President and key issues were raised.
“We called for the decriminalisation of Gukurahundi by
allowing people to openly discuss their experiences. We also asked for true and
factual notation on death certificates and the development of Matabeleland to
prioritised,” said Pastor Masuku.
During last month’s meeting, President Mnangagwa hailed the
interaction which he described as the first of its kind in terms of social
dialogue.
Meanwhile, NPRC’s 21-day outreach programme includes the
strategic priorities for 2019 such as public hearings for healing and
reconciliation, mechanisms for early detection of conflicts, national dialogue
facilitation, setting up of peace committees, evidence based legislative and
policy recommendations.
Others are key thematic areas which include, complaints
handling mechanisms, victim support mechanism, truth telling and truth seeking
mechanism, healing, reconciliation and rehabilitation strategy, research and
knowledge management strategy.
Highlighting structures in which Zimbabweans can
participate for a broad based and inclusive national healing, reconciliation
and peace building process are some of the issues to be covered.
Addressing a press conference in Harare yesterday, NPRC
chairman Justice Selo Masole Nare encouraged the public to participate in this
process that will precede the truth seeking, truth telling and public hearings.
“Between April 15 and 16, we will be in Mashonaland East,
April 23 and 28 in Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Midlands, April
29 and 30 in Mashonaland Central, May 2 and 4 in Harare and Mashonaland West,
May 6 and 7 in Masvingo, May 8 and 10 in Manicaland and on May 14 and 15 in
Bulawayo,” he said.
The commission met Government officials, traditional
leaders, churches, arts and cultural organisations, civil society, business,
academia, persons with disabilities, women and youth, among others.
President Mnangagwa signed the National Peace and
Reconciliation Commission Bill into law in January, which operationalised the
commission that was appointed in 2016.
The Act provided for the functions, powers, operations and
removal from office of the members of the Commission, manner of conducting
investigations and staffing of the Commission, among others.
The NPRC was established under Sections 251 to 253 of the
Constitution to ensure post-conflict justice, healing and reconciliation, to
develop programmes to promote national healing, unity and peaceful conflict
resolution.
Section 252 of the Constitution states the NPRC’s functions
were to ensure post-conflict justice, healing and reconciliation.
President Mnangagwa assigned Vice President Kembo Mohadi to
be in charge of the Peace and Reconciliation portfolio as a show of his
administration’s seriousness to dealing with the issue. Herald
0 comments:
Post a Comment